How Long a Secret
by Ibinx Rae
Summary: Shippo has a secret, a secret to end all secrets. Full summary and warnings inside.
1. Intro

_Hi! This is my first story here. I figured I'd give you guys the title and summary and all that jazz before I actually started posting it. But before I continue, __**I own Nothing**__ except for the plot and idea. I'd also like to thank my friend Bloodyrose666 for helping me and getting the bunnies hopping. Aright, on with the summary. _

_**Warning:**__**This story is rated M for mature themes that will be present later on and extreme cases of violence. It contains Yaoi, or boy on boy love and mentions of Mpreg. If you do not like any of these, I suggest you leave now.**_

**How Long a Secret**

**Ibinx Rae**

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Shippo has a secret, a secret to end all secrets. This secret involves the great Lord Sesshomaru and himself. Naraku is dead. Peace has somewhat been restored to the lands. But we all know peace never lasts. A new villain appears, and he is much worse than Naraku could have ever hoped to be. This villain is a blast from the past for Sesshomaru and Shippo. He also seems to know something about the Shikon Jewel that Inu and the gang doesn't. This leads him to want Inuyasha. But he tells Sesshomaru that it is his choice. He can lose his brother, or his mate. Sesshomaru doesn't have a mate though, does he? And what does all this have to do with Shippo's secret?


	2. Chapter One

_Hello all! Here's the first chapter. Sorry it's so short, but you need it for the background. The next chapter will be another background chapter, so to speak. I'll try to hurry with it. Hope you enjoy. _

_**Disclaimer: I own only the plot and idea, not the characters.**_

_**Warnings: Please check Intro. ** _**  
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**Chapter One**

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It had been ten years. Ten years since Kagome fell down the well and released Inuyasha. Since then a lot has happened. The Shikon Jewel was nearly all in Naraku's control. Death had been far too common place. Miroku and Sango went ahead and married in case the worst should have happened in the final battle. Sesshomaru and Inuyasha agreed to fight together to defeat him. If they hadn't he'd probably still be here. That's right, a year after his two best friends married, Inuyasha defeated Naraku alongside his brother. After the defeat the Inu brothers decided to put aside their hate and get to know each other. Which is why Sesshomaru now travels with Inuyasha and his friends.

Another person put aside some of his loathing to join the group as well. This person being Kouga. He had spent the first two years after the defeat searching for someone. Not just any someone mind you, but his _one_. The one he believes he was destined to mate. After traveling with the group for five years, he believes his search is over. Whether this one agrees or not is another matter.

With Kouga constantly going on about his _one_, both Kagome and Inuyasha started thinking. Then finally, after a year with Kouga being part of the group, Inuyasha asked Kagome to be his mate. She had screamed "It's about time!" A week later they were wed. They took their honeymoon in a place Kagome called Tahiti. No one knew what or where this place was, all they knew is that it was a slight disaster.

The year following was Rin's fifteenth. She had decided to stay with a human family. She asked Sesshomaru and the rest to not forget her. All but Sesshomaru said they wouldn't and after she looked at him for his response, she seemed satisfied. This confused all but Jakken and Shippo. The next year Kagome decided it'd be good to visit her. When they reached the village, they inquired about her. The news had not been good. A month before they came, illness struck the village. Rin and her family were some of the many that passed on. Every year since one lonely flower mysteriously appears on her grave. A Forget-me-not.

Now two years have passed since Rin's death and the group still travels together. They go from village to village extraditing demons and giving general aid. When asked why demons would aid humans, their response is that all demons are not bad. This pacifies them somewhat but not completely. Demons will always be evil. It's such a shame no one thinks humans can be evil. The group might just be forced into remembering that Naraku was originally human.

**_TBC_**


	3. Chapter Two

_I'd like to make a correction to what I said in my last note. This is more background yes, but it's elaboration. You need both this chapter and the last to understand things later on. I would also like to apologize for not posting the character death warning. I'd forgotten about that. And I'd like to apologize for not having my anonymous reviews enabled. Along the lines of reviews, I'd like to thank those who have left me a review. I really hope I don't disappoint you with my story. Well, I hope you enjoy this chapter._

_**Disclaimer: See previous chapter**_

_**Warnings: See previous chapter plus character death.**_

_**Notes: **_

_-x- scene change- I always write in time skips, it's a habit._

_'thoughts'_

_"talking" _

**Chapter Two**

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Naraku had been defeated. He could finally begin his search. And that's what he had done. But that was two years ago. Blue eyes narrowed in annoyance. This was harder than he'd thought. Sighing in exasperation, Kouga jumped down from the branch he'd been sitting on. As he landed his stomach grumbled loudly.

"Damn hunger, forcing me to stop my search!"

Continuing to curse his hunger in his head, Kouga started sniffing the air for any small prey in the vicinity. He caught a very, very slight scent on the wind. It was almost familiar. Shrugging it off, he followed it. He hoped it tasted good whatever it was. When he was sure he was close enough, he stealthily hid behind some bushes to spy.

-x-

Shippo had just had a major fight with Inuyasha. He'd been accused of eating all the Ramen. He scoffed has he finished cleansing his hair. He didn't even like Ramen enough to steal it when he could catch a fish. While he stormed off he heard Sesshomaru scold Inuyash. It was amazing how they acted now. Just like brothers should. He thought it was a nice change, so did the others. Suddenly Shippo smiled gently.

'It's nice having another demon to talk to.'

Yes, Sesshomaru and Shippo had become friends, strange as that sounds. Shippo liked having someone stick up for him other than Kagome. Now while Shippo was lost in thought, he'd managed to dress himself in his cleaned clothes. He left his hair, which now went to just below his shoulder, down so it could dry. Sighing, he moved to a nearby clearing to wait for Inuyasha's eventual apology. He twitched his ears occasionally listening for would be predators.

-x-

Inuyasha couldn't believe this. Sesshomaru had made him feel smaller than an ant for accusing Shippo of stealing all the Ramen. Then Kagome had to shop up looking for the shrimp. It wouldn't have been so bad if the evil brother of his had kept his mouth shut. Inu winced at what had happened next, fifty-seven sits.

'Damn wench, damn brother, damn shrimp, always making my life hell. Speaking of the shrimp, where is he?'

Stopping mid-stride, Inuyasha sniffed the air looking for Shippo's scent. He found it, but another scent as well. This caused him to growl deeply before speeding towards the scents.

-x-

Kouga licked his lips. A young fox, how luck was he? Not his best choice for a meal, but delectable nonetheless. All he had to do was wait for the right moment and…

'Gotcha!'

-x-

Shippo was just about to lay back and take a nap. He'd already stretched and was leaning back. The wind changed, and that was all the warning he had before he was pinned to the ground beneath a very hungry wolf. His green eyes widened.

'Shit!'

-x-

Inuyasha broke through the clearing in time to see a hungry, sounded like near starved, Kouga pin Shippo to the Ground.

'Fuck!'

Thinking fast, he raced over and ripped Kouga off Shippo. After watching Shippo scramble back, he turned a glaring growl on the wolf.

-x-

He'd been startled when he'd been ripped off his prey. Shaking his head to clear it, Kouga turned to glare at his meal stealer. What met his eyes and subsequently his ears made him forget all about being hungry.

"Mutt?"

"What the hell, Kouga, did you think you were doing!?"

"Huh?"

Kouga looked behind Inuyasha and saw Shippo shakily getting up. Shippo for his part had tied up his hair when he was sure he was safe. His head had snapped up when he'd heard Kouga speak. Now he was just glaring at him for startling him. Inuyasha shook Kouga to get his attention back.

"Do you not think before you pounce? You could have killed Shippo!"

Kouga glared back.

"How was I supposed to know it was the shrimp!? It didn't look like him from behind! Plus his scent isn't the same."

Inuyasha blinked. Didn't smell the same? Doesn't this idiot know that Shippo was still a growing boy? Or that it'd been two whole years since they'd crossed paths? Inuyasha's eye started to twitch. After hearing Kouga's reasoning, Shippo was pissed. His whole face had turned red.

"I can't believe you! You're even more stupid then Inuyasha!"

And with that said Shippo stormed back to where he knew the other's to be. He left both Kouga and Inuyasha dumbfounded.

-x-

After Inuyasha and Kouga had a long talk, it was decided that the wolf would join the traveling party. Now all they had to do was convince the others. Which was where they were now, waiting for the others to decide. Kagome was all for it much to Inuyasha's caringe. Sango soon followed and Miroku sided with his wife. All that were left was Shippo, Rin, Jakken, and Sesshomaru. It took about an hour before all were decided to allow Kouga to join them. There was just one thing they had to know, and it was Kagome who asked.

"So Kouga, what made you decide to travel with us?"

Kouga Looked up for his food, it was dinner time after all, and blinked at her. He swallowed his bite before answering.

"I'm searching for my _one_. I figured since you guys traveled every where, I'd have better luck with you."

All but Sess, Shippo, and Jakken looked at him blankly. Kouga sighed.

"You'll see why before to long, I hope."

-x-

Both Kagome and Inuyasha, and everyone else, got what Kouga had meant after a week of traveling with him. It had been a whole year since he joined them. And Hin always going on about his _one_ grated on everyone's last nerves, especially Inu's. Kagome knew he was her _one_, she just wished she were his as well. She still had a few doubts though. That's how Inuyasha found her, sitting deep in thought on those doubts.

"Hey."

He sat next to her, startling her from her thoughts.

"Oh. Hey, Inuyasha."

"What's bothering you?"

A concerned look crossed Inu's face. Kagome looks surprised, but quickly recovers.

"Why nothing's bothering me."

"Don't lie."

"Inuyasha…"

He looked at her for a moment before turning away blushing.

'Oh no, he saw what I was thinking!'

Inu didn't look at her and continued to blush when he spoke next.

"Kagome, I… Will y-you…"

'Is he?!'

'Deep breathe, you can do this.'

"Kagome?"

He looked her in the eye. Her breathe catches.

"Y-yes?"

"Will you be my mate?"

Dead silence filled the air. Nothing moved as if awaiting her response. Se glanced down then away before returning her gaze to him.

"Well, it took you long enough!"

-x-

Inuyasha and Kagome were due back from their honeymoon two weeks after they'd wed, which was three weeks after Inu proposed. Everyone had hoped that all went well. Their wishes were not answered. Not a one of them was brave evough to ask what happened. Seeing as any time it was mentioned Kagome exuded an extremely malevolent aura. So they just let it be. The following summer was Rin's fifteenth.

She nibbled on her bottom lip as she decided how best to approach everyone with her decision. You see, in the last village they'd visited, there lived a real nice couple. This couple believed that they were beyond child rearing years. They had asked Rin if she wouldn't mind living with them. She'd been thinking about settling down for a while now. So she had said she'd like very much so to live with them. Of course Sesshomaru noticed her behavior, but Shippo noticed it as well. He was the one whom brought it up.

"Rin?"

"Yes Shippo?"

Even when worried, her smiles were always genuine.

"Is there something wrong?"

She looked confused for a moment before she smiled again. Then she shook her head.

"Nothing is wrong. I'm just ready to settle down."

That caught everyone's attention. Rin then went into explaining about the couple she'd met and why she felt that way. The next day they walked her to her new home. Before she went in, she turned to the group.

"Please don't forget me."

All but Sesshomaru stated that they wouldn't. Some more teary then others, namely Jakken. Rin looked towards her Lord and guardian. Something she saw made her smile and wave goodbye before going inside. Jakken and Shippo were the only one's to know why she did so outside of Sesshomaru himself. The latter because the are friends and the former because of how long he'd served him.

-x-

Kagome sat up one night, a year later, pondering over Rin. She missed the girl terrible, and she knew the others did as well. So the next day, the group headed for Rin's village. It took them a week to reach it. Once there, they headed straight for her house. None of them liked the feel of the village, it felt like death. They soon found out why. A month before they reached the village, illness had struck. The illness killed five-eighths of their populace. Rin and her family had been a part of that majority. They mourned for her. Shortly after they'd left, a Forget-me-not was found on Rin's grave.

-x-

Shippo looked out over the lands from his perch. He'd grown quite some these last two years. He was four foot seven, his red hair reached the back of his knees when let down, his bright green eyes had sharpened some but were still big, his tail had lengthened to twice what it had been, and he'd developed a nice facial, bone, and muscular structure to top it off. In other words, he was hot. This fact didn't escape the notice of our favorite wolf. Which would partly explain why Shippo was on top of a tree. He wasn't ready to hear that Kouga believed him to be his _one_. That and he wanted to shake the ominous feeling he had.

**_TBC_**


	4. AN

_OMG! I feel soooooo horrible for leaving the story alone for sooooo long... But it's just been one thing after another after another with writer's blocks in between. DX_

_Good news though, I have my own computer now. Yay! And am more and more getting out of my block thanks to **soulnin** *heart* So hopefully soon I'll be able to finish and post the next chapter. Most likely during this week since his story is on pause - is beta-ing and writing the romance parts for his story. I do have the first part done already, just have to work out the rest of the chapter. Thank you guys for being so patient! I can only hope the next chappy was worth the wait._


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